Twenty years ago, Albert Arnott was seriously injured in a fall from a tree during a landscaping job. But although he suffered a traumatic head injury and could not walk, the tenacious man biked thousands of miles on his recumbent bike. Most recently, the man who held a lifelong interest in history and politics biked from coast to coast on his recumbent bike to protest term limits for US Senate members and congressmen.
However, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed this week that the 60-year-old man was killed while riding his bike near Mocksville, NC, on Highway 601. The bicycle accident occurred as Arnott was riding north on 601 and a pickup truck, also heading north, struck him from behind. The fatal NC bicycle accident is still under investigation. Charges have not yet been filed against the driver.
Recumbent bikes ride lower to the ground than traditional bikes, making it more difficult for approaching driver to see the riders, especially drivers of pickup trucks, commercial trucks, and SUVs. Many recumbent bikers, including Arnott, add a brightly colored flag to their bike to alert drivers of their presence. Some recumbent bikes are two-wheeled, while others, like the one Arnott was riding, have three wheels to add balance. All of the bikes are wider than traditional bikes, making them somewhat more dangerous to ride on busy or narrow streets.
Arnott’s friends say that the man died doing what he loved and that he was an inspiration to anyone facing a traumatic head injury.